The Shadow of Dragons

Session Twenty-Two

A Royal Request

1

MAY/17

June 27 – July 6, 1482

The party travels to Exridge on horseback.

July 6

The party located Zud, who rushed them to Pelor Grove, where the commencement of the synod was taking place. At high noon, Aldgus Haspar, who had been ill but carried on, opened the synod with a fiery speech about the need to look only to the divine as a source of power and knowledge. Religious events and activities took place for the rest of the day throughout the city.

Ontharr Frume, Leosin Erlanthar, and Selebon Hogsbottom met with the heroes and there was much discussion about the events in the Sunless Citadel. The party was told that they had a meeting later in the day, but with whom could not be revealed.

The party made themselves busy for a few hours, only to return and find out their meeting had been delayed until later that night.

July 7

Just after midnight, the party gathered at Sunrise House and discovered that their meeting was with none other than Princess Elenda Exridge!

She was surprisingly well informed, but her face was full of sadness, and her eyes wet with tears. She spoke to the party: “I will address you, fittingly, as heroes. Thank you for meeting with me despite the required misdirections. All of our time is limited so I will not delay. Our nation is in crisis. Auberon Lycus is dead. Aldgus Haspar is the wrong person to lead the Holy Church, and may be compromised by the fruit from this tree? My brother lies in a coma, maybe also dying from this same poison.”

She steadies herself for a moment, and continues: “My father the King is dead. This knowledge will be kept secret for a day or two because this conspiracy has left power vacuums at the very top of two pillars that defend our people. Despite our situation, you five have done a great service for Turrion. And I’m going to ask you to do one for me as well.”

In the royal graveyard behind the High Clerist’s Tower are several crypts where the past Firsts remains are entombed. The oldest one of these also appears the smallest, a structure of golden marble, its entry flanked by statues of wounded direwolves … the left one is missing an ear. Enter this place, but beware, as each First is permitted to design their own resting place, and many conceived of them as their final chance to impart a lesson on future visitors. There are rumors of curiosity seekers entering and never being seen again.

Within, there should be a large chamber. Within the chamber, at the foot of the Altar of the Wolf, you will find a large, ornate case. Oak with golden inlays of the wolves of house Exridge, measuring about three feet long, a foot and a half wide, and six inches tall. I ask you to bring this to me."

After some short discussion, the heroes agreed, and waited until evening. They located the correct tomb, and descended. The party discovered a number of intriguing vignettes, some quite dangerous, but managed to descend further, and made their way to an enormous chamber. This was, they discovered, the resting place of Ser Jason Exridge, the Wulfblood, First King of Turrion. They located the ornate case as described by the princess, placed it within their Bag of Holding, and made their way back out of the tomb.